Keith Urbahn is the president and a founding partner of Javelin, a literary and creative agency located in Alexandria, Virginia that offers representation and public relations services.
Urbahn studied religion and Arabic as an undergraduate at Yale University. He graduated summa cum laude in 2006.
Urbahn worked for former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld as a speechwriter at the Pentagon, and served as Rumsfeld's chief of staff from 2009 to 2012. He helped oversee the publication of Rumsfeld's number one New York Times bestselling 2011 memoir, '. He previously worked in the U.S. Senate for Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Urbahn also served as a commissioned reserve intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy. Urbahn is credited as the person who first broke the news of Osama bin Laden's killing. On May 1, 2011, he tweeted, "So I'm told by a reputable person they have killed Osama Bin Laden. Hot damn."
With his business partner Matt Latimer, Urbahn founded Javelin in 2011. Among the projects Urbahn has overseen at Javelin is the development and launch of Churchill Solitaire, an app of a version of solitaire once played by Winston Churchill. In addition, he has represented authors and media personalities on book and television deals, such as Donna Brazile, James Comey, and Tucker Carlson.
Clients and projects associated with Urbahn and Javelin have included figures such as Donna Brazile, James Comey, John Bolton, Maggie Haberman, and Norah OâÂÂDonnell.
The agency has also expanded into digital and creative ventures, including projects such as Churchill Solitaire, illustrating its broader media strategy beyond traditional publishing. JavelinâÂÂs public relations arm works with Fortune 500 companies and major nonprofits on media booking and placement, crisis and litigation communications, and media training.
As of 2026, Urbahn continues to act as a lead agent on new political and nonfiction titles, including major upcoming book projects in U.S. politics and public affairs.
Urbahn has publicly commented on political polarization, media dynamics, and the publishing industry. He has warned about declining trust between political groups in the United States and the impact of polarization on civic life.
He has also criticized elements of modern political journalism, arguing that heightened media reactions and outrage-driven coverage can contribute to public distrust while simultaneously fueling demand for political books and commentary.
His views often reflect a dual critique of both political leadership and media institutions, emphasizing the structural incentives that drive division and shape public narratives.
Urbahn lives in Alexandria, Virginia and has two children, Benjamin and William. Urbahn is the son of Jennifer K. Urbahn and Maximilian O. Urbahn III. His grandfather, Max O. Urbahn, was a prolific architect of government buildings whose work included the design of one of the world's largest structures, the Vehicle Assembly Building at Cape Canaveral, Florida.